Northern Ireland abortion reform not a matter for Westminster, says No10

Andrea Leadsom is the latest high profile Conservative woman in the Cabinet backing reforms to Northern Ireland’s abortion laws
Kate Proctor29 May 2018
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Downing Street today insisted abortion reform in Northern Ireland is not a matter for Westminster as Theresa May comes under increasing pressure from MPs to intervene.

More than 140 MPs have said they want the Prime Minister to overturn the province’s strict abortion laws while senior Cabinet figures have spoken out in favour of reform.

Mrs May’s spokesman said: “We are of the view that this is a devolved matter and that people in Northern Ireland are entitled to their own process run by locally elected politicians.”

Asked about the fact that the power-sharing executive collapsed last year, the spokesman said: “That issue would be for the people of Northern Ireland and would need to be decided by a functioning executive.”

Leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, is the latest high profile Conservative woman in the Cabinet backing reforms to Northern Ireland’s abortion laws.

She would prefer to see change brought in through a revived executive.

Ireland abortion referendum - In pictures

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A source said: “Mrs Leadsom is very supportive of the calls for Northern Ireland to be brought in line with the rest of the UK and thinks it demonstrates why it’s crucial for the Northern Irish executive to reach a deal as soon as possible so they can address the issue.”

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt has also said she wants to see change in the province and four former women and equalities ministers have signalled they would like the Prime Minister to intervene.

Labour MP Stella Creasy is set to table an amendment to the Domestic Violence Bill currently passing through Parliament that would enable Mrs May to legislate to relax abortion laws.

But there is concern that the Prime Minister is reticent to over-ride a devolved matter because she depends on the votes of the socially conservative Democratic Unionist Party to get Brexit votes through the Commons.

The Irish Republic overwhelmingly voted to overturn the country’s abortion ban in a landmark referendum on Friday and was meeting today to sign off the next steps.

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